I. G. I. Microfiche We have been informed by Mr E. Hollerton of the Local Studies Centre, Howard Street, North Shields, that the I.G.I. Microfiche covering most of the British Isles is now available there. There is a microfiche reader at the Centre, and another at the Central Library in Northumberland Square. By arrangement, materials can be made available for use on the latter at times when the Local Studies Centre is closed. Federation of Family History Societies Spring Conference The Federation of Family History Societies weekend conference in Spring 1987 will be hosted by the Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society. The event will be held on April 10/11 /12th at the Norbeck Castle Hotel, Blackpool. The hotel, which offers excellent facilities for families, is situated on the rugged and picturesque north promenade of this world famous resort. Accomodation will be in twin bedded rooms with private bathrooms; the same accommodation will be available for single occupancy at a small surcharge. A full programme of lectures, visits and entertainment is planned, and the weekend should prove to be both enjoyable and informative. Further details and booking forms will be available in September 1986 from the Conference Co-ordinator, 7 Margaret Street, Shaw, OLDHAM, Lancashire OL2 8RP. Return postage would be appreciated. MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Subscriptions for 1986/87 are due on or before 1 November 1986; as in previous years for reasons of economy no receipts will be issued, but delivery of the Spring 1987 Journal may be taken as confirmation that your subscription has been received. Subscription rates, which have been held at their present levels for the fifth successive year, are as follows: United Kingdom (including all BFPO addresses) ..................................................„,.... £4.00 Overseas (Surface Mail) ........................................................................................ £5.00 Overseas (Airmail) ............................................................................................... £8.00 Family Membership (Each additional family member) .................................................. £1.00 Members in Western Europe should subscribe at the Overseas (Surface Mail) rate. When the Society was formed in 1975, the founders envisaged a membership of perhaps a hundred enthusiasts; eleven years later, we have enrolled over 2600 such enthusiasts, and our current subscribing membership is well in excess of 1800. We still however rely on unpaid volunteers to handle the huge volume of paperwork which this substantial membership inevitably generates, but the pressure placed upon our helpers is fast becoming intolerable. If you have a current account with a British bank, and are not already subscribing by standing order, please consider doing so by completing the enclosed form. You pay only one subscription to the Society, but we need to process many hundreds of subscriptions and it takes us ten times longer to deal with manual as compared to standing order renewals. Please note that the banker's order form will come into effect in October 1987; your 1986/87 subscription should be paid by cheque as usual. If you do complete the banker's order form, please also think about covenanting your subscription. If you or your husband or wife pays United Kingdom income tax, or if you earn interest totalling £7 or more a year from investments with a UK building society or bank (other than the National Savings Bank), we as a charity can reclaim tax of over 40p for every £1 of covenanted subscription paid to us - a really worthwhile boost to our funds at no additional cost to yourself. If you already pay by standing order, no renewal forms will be enclosed with your Journal, but please don't forget to tell the Treasurer if you have changed your address. Overseas members are asked to pay in Sterling if at all possible. If however it is necessary to pay in your local currency please add two dollars to the converted subscription rate to cover the cost of converting your cheque at our bank. All cheques should be made payable to `NDFHS', and should be sent together with the renewal card to the Membership Secretary, not to the Treasurer; the address is shown on the card. Please renew early if possible, but certainly by 1 November, as late renewals do cause a good deal of extra work. Thankyou for your co-operation and for your continued support of our Society! THE SPRING MEETINGS March The March meeting commenced with short reports by our Chairman Bill Rounce and Projects Co-ordinator Bill Butterley on the activities of the Society. This should have been followed by a film produced by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who are responsible for 1,750,000 servicemens' graves all over the world, but because of trouble with the projector the showing had to be cancelled. There was instead some discussion of members' problems. One point that emerged was that Newcastle Central Library have on microfilm a complete list of British servicemen killed in the war together with their regimental numbers. April At the April meeting Mr Neville Armstrong of the Armstrong Trust introduced his film `The Armstrong Heritage', preceded by a film showing various events organized by the Trust during 1985. `The Armstrong Heritage' traces the history of the Armstrongs in the Border area from the 12th century to the present day, and includes many fine views of the countryside and of the castles and other buildings associated with the clan during its turbulent history. Mr Armstrong and his wife are to be congratulated on producing such an excellent film. May The Annual General Meeting was held in May, and after the Treasurer's Report, which again reported a healthy financial situation, the Constitution of the Society was discussed. Changes were necessary in order to comply with the Data Protection Act which comes into force this year, and also to cater for the formation of branches. The proposed changes were described in detail by the Treasurer John Scott, and members were asked to vote on a new clause making it a condition of membership that consent be given to the maintenance of personal records in an automatic retrieval system (see p.4 of the Spring issue of the Journal). The amendment was passed unanimously. The draft Constitution has been submitted to the Charity Commissioners to ensure that the proposed changes do not affect the Society's charitable status, and when returned will be put before an Extraordinary General Meeting for final approval. DURHAM GROUP There were twenty-two members at the March meeting when Bill Rounce spoke regarding the amendment to the Society's Constitution, and then conducted a useful Quiz organized by Eric Davy. The attendance at the April meeting was thirty-one, including several new or prospective members. No speaker had been arranged, but the various groups exchanged ideas on research and generally the discussion was helpful. The Genealogical Research Directory which had been published recently was passed around and it was noticed that several members avidly copied entries therein. The May meeting with a good attendance proved lively and interesting, the Chairman having thought it a good idea to ask one or two members to prepare a short paper on the subject of their research. He himself began by giving a brief account of events which led him at an early age to enquire about his family history. Then Ted Shaw followed and delighted the company with his story of great grandfather William Shaw who kept the school at Bowes, and whose character had been so maligned by Charles Dickens in his pen-portrait of the fearsome Wackford Squeers.' Eric Davy had brought along a supply of books kindly loaned by the Society's Librarian, and they aroused a great deal of interest. Mrs Fidiam and Mrs Portass agreed to serve as Committee members together with Maurice Handcock as Chairman and Eric Davy as Secretary. SOUTH TYNESIDE GROUP There were several new members at the April meeting, all with problems to solve. After these had been discussed Bill Rounce gave an account of `Life in the Workhouse'. The May meeting was an informal affair, which is what most members seem to prefer. In June the group celebrated the third anniversary of its formation in 1983, and it was appropriate that a large attendance should be present to hear that the index to the 1851 Census for the South Tyneside area is almost complete, and that the marriages in all but one of the South Tyneside FUTURE PROGRAMME Wednesday, 3 September 1986 South Shields, 8.00 p. m. South Tyneside Group Meeting. Members' Night to prepare for the Winter Session. Tuesday, 9 September 1986 Gateshead, 7.15 p.m. Beginners' Night. A chance for newer members to find out more about the Society, to discover how to set about family history research, and what to do next when things go wrong! Thursday, 11 September 1986 Sunderland, 7.15p.m. Sunderland and District Group Meeting. Talk by Mr George Patterson on `The Keelmen of Sunderland.' Monday, 15 September 1986 Durham, 7.30 p. m. Durham Group Meeting. Talk by Mr George Flynn on `How to achieve your own Coat of Arms.' Tuesday, 16 September 1986 Blyth, 7.30 p.m. South-East Northumberland Group Meeting. Talk by Mr Alan Robinson on `Cornish Miners who settled in Cramlington.' Wednesday, 1 October 1986 South Shields, 8.00 p. m. South Tyneside Group Meeting. Talk by Mr Robin Gard, Northumberland County Archivist, on `The Record Office and its uses.' Thursday, 9 October 1986 Sunderland, 7.15 p. m. Sunderland and District Group Meeting. Tuesday, 14 October 1986 Gateshead, 7.15 p. m. Dr M. Robson will speak on `The Elliots, Northumberland and the Reiving Times." Tuesday, 14 October 1986 Blyth, 7.30 p. m. South-East Northumberland Group Meeting. Monday, 20 October 1986 Durham, 7.30 p.